Health, Moving, New Job, New Ward! Woah.

Many of my friends and family have been wondering what is going on with my health and the move. Well this lovely post will answer all of those questions!

For about 3 months I have been sick on and off with several different respiratory infections. I was put on a few rounds of antibiotics and nothing seemed to really help me kick being sick. After the third time of being in the doctors office the doctor decided to do a chest x-ray because of my nasty cough. When he returned after viewing my x-ray he asked me if I had heard of a disease called Sarcoidosis. Ironically, this is a disease that my father has. For those of you who don't know, my father was diagnosed about 6 years ago with the disease (I won't go into details about my father's condition because that is for him to share if he chooses). Hearing the word alone was something that made me feel uncomfortable. The doctor let me know that he was then referring me to a specialist. That day I called my mom to let her know what was going on and my parents decided that it would be a good idea for me to come home for the weekend.

The next day Davian and I headed up to Washington. While we were there I was able to rest up and started Prednisone. As a family we decided that it would be a good idea for Davian to stay with my parents for a little while so I could get rested and feeling better. I was thankful for the generosity of my parents and the chance that I have had to finish my medication and get rested. It was much easier to move without Davian as well. I have truly been blessed with goodly parents! So for now we wait until my appointment with the specialist in a couple more months. And as a result of being so sick these last few months I missed a lot of school and took a medical deferment until my health is better and I can resume school.

Another news includes my move and my new job. I made the decision to leave Tami's. It was a tough decision because I love all the amazing women that I worked with there but I needed to do what was best for my family. I decided that an hourly wages job would be best and I applied for one at Great Clips. While I never had the desire to work at a Great Clips it was still doing hair but at an hourly wage. I have had my first day cutting hair and I loved it. The pace is fast and the money has been good. When you do a million cuts a day you get some good tips! Of course, there will be things that I miss about the salon feel. One of those is being able to take the time with clients to make sure that everything is perfect but people that come in generally come because the service is good but quick. I am very thankful for this job and feel blessed by the Lord greatly. 

Lastly, I was able to attend church at my new ward today. I was nervous about attending church alone and I took a seat in the back. That didn't last long. A brother introduced himself to me and invited me to sit with his wife and son. The Carvajal's took me under their wing introducing me to families and making me feel welcome. In Relief Society I sat by a woman named Anderea and she and I got along very well. Andrea and her husband invited me over for dinner that night and it was great. I felt so welcome and I think that I will become good friends with their family! I can't wait to get to know many other people in the ward.

I have just been feeling so blessed by my Heavenly Father and it didn't just stop at feeling welcome in my the ward. The lesson in Relief Society was just for me too. The talk was from October 2012 General Conference titled "Trial of Your Faith" given by Neil L. Andersen. The talk was about trials about trials and there were so many lines that just impressed me. They included:

"These fiery trials are designed to make you stronger, but they have the potential to diminish or even destroy your trust in the Son of God and to weaken your resolve to keep your promises to Him. These trials are often camouflaged, making them difficult to identify. They take root in our weaknesses, our vulnerabilities, our sensitivities, or in those things that matter most to us. A real but manageable test for one can be a fiery trial for another. How do you remain “steadfast and immovable” during a trial of faith? You immerse yourself in the very things that helped build your core of faith: you exercise faith in Christ, you pray, you ponder the scriptures, you repent, you keep the commandments, and you serve others. When faced with a trial of faith—whatever you do, you don’t step away from the Church! Distancing yourself from the kingdom of God during a trial of faith is like leaving the safety of a secure storm cellar just as the tornado comes into view."

"By definition, trials will be trying. There may be anguish, confusion, sleepless nights, and pillows wet with tears. But our trials need not be spiritually fatal. They need not take us from our covenants or from the household of God.

“Remember, … it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”"

I am so very thankful for these words of comfort and the Spirit that I was able to feel today at church. I know that my Heavenly Father truly loves me and looks out for me. I have been going through a few trials lately and for the first time in my life I didn't want to go to church and in a way I blamed Heavenly Father but the lesson has reminded me that during those times of trials we need to be more faithful and really depend on the safe haven the the church offers us. I am so thankful that my parents raised me in the church and taught me the value of family. I know that I can do anything if I have faith.

Well that is it for now =)

February

I am such a slacker...I know. In my defense this year has already been busy and I had plenty to do at the end of last year. So here we go again, another massive update!

Davian: Oh, how I love this boy! I love watching him grow and I LOVE watching him learn. He is such a joy and such a handful at the same time. He has been busy at The Learning Center and busy at home. He has become very fond on Lego's {oh how I HATE them...the end up everywhere and hurt when you step on them}. He has started building his own "creations" and his imagination is simply amazing. He also had an imaginary friend for a week. His friend was a red dragon who's name both of us cannot remember anymore. He really has blossomed into an amazing little boy.

One night after he crawled into my bed I just thought about how different my life would be without him. I can't imagine it because I know he belongs in my life. As I watched him sleep I wondered how such a little person could take up half my bed and my entire heart. While motherhood has not been easy for me it has been worth it. Being a mother, {a single one at that} is the greatest blessing that I could have ever been blessed with. It baffles me that my Heavenly Father would trust me with one of his little souls. I just hope that I can give him everything that he needs to grow and become a powerful disciple of Christ.

Me: I have been busy...Very very busy. Davian and I  have been sick for about 3 months. I am pretty sure that we just share back and forth... I guess that a chance I am going to have to keep taking because I love kissing and loving that little guy.

I have been busy with classes. My classes are amazing this semester. I have enjoyed my Money Management class and my Parenting Skills class. My Money Management is teaching me so much about becoming self-sufficient and dealing with the many "adult" things in life such as buying a home and taxes. I love the teacher that I have and he really makes it fun for me. I especially enjoy my Parenting Skills class. The teacher is AMAZING! He really knows how to teach and I have not been bored in a single class this semester. I have learned so much about parenting. Mostly, my testimony has been strengthened. In our first class we discussed how important it is to view our children has our own brother or sister from our Heavenly Father. We have been in trusted to take care of our Heavenly Father's children and teach them the things that they need to know to grow and return back to Him. I have been touched by the Spirit so many times during this class and know that the things that I have learned really will change the way that I parent.

I have been working hard at the salon and enjoying all the wonderful co-workers I have and clients! I love doing photo shoots and have been able to do my first official bride at the salon. I love makeup and I love being able to create different looks. The face is really a canvas. We did a vintage inspired shoot in November and I was pleased with the results. The photography was amazing, the hair was amazing, the outfits were amazing, and the makeup was amazing! I just hope we can keep raising the bar with each photo shoot that we do! Our next one will be in March and it has a wedding theme. So stay tuned ;)

Well it is official: Davian and I are moving to Idaho Falls. It was difficult to make the final decision to move but I felt like it would be the best thing for our little family. We have loved Rexburg and the almost 2 years that we have spent here. We have just started to get comfortable in the ward and made many friends but we are just moving a few miles down the road! We are excited to be closer to our good friends the Briggs though =) Our new apartment is super cute and we can't wait to get settled at the end of the month. Pictures to come, of course!

I know you all wonder about my exciting dating life... so here is an update. I have been going out a lot more these past 5 months and it has been really fun. I have had fun getting to know a few different guys but for the last couple months I have been mostly dating one fella. Maybe you'll hear more in the future maybe you won't... we shall see ;)

Emma&Maddy

Vampire Davian

LOVE HIM

Sick AGAIN!

This & That

Like always blogging has gotten away from me. I really have to be in the right mood to write and usually that is when I am a little home sick. Well, today is that day... Or rather night. Whatever. 

Things haven't really changed that much in life but I have some updates.

Sunday best

Isaac & D... post snake hunt

Davian: He is doing great. He seems to go in stages of being a good listener and then bounces back being difficult. Either way he is such a blessing and always has so much life. He has been enjoying school and has a lot of friends. It is so cute when I pick him up from school he hugs his friends bye. I have enjoyed being a fly on the way with some of his conversations with other kids. Lately, he has loved playing Donkey Kong on the Wii and building things with Lego's (Or making me build things). We even went snake hunting one night with a frined of mine, Issac. Davina caught his first snake but then tossed it my way as a result of my screaming. In just a few short months he will be 5 and that is insane to me. It feels like just yesterday I went to the doctors office to find that he was ready to make his arrival. Sometimes I long to go back to the days when he was so little and snuggle him a little longer. Time really does fly. Davian's dad recently returned from Afghanistan and Davian is really excited to be able to see him in a few weeks.

Final product from the TA shoot.

Me & Cousin Nena (my model)

Me: I have been so incredibly busy lately. I had the opportunity to attend a MAC certified Makeup Artistry program at Taylor Andrews in West Jordan Utah. I loved every minute of it and it really sparked a passion. I have always loved makeup and making people feel beautiful but this has really taken me to a new level. Makeup is my art. I can express a lot through my brushes and I am thankful I had the chance to attend this class. It wouldn't have been possible with out my amazing parents who kept Davian and my great family who housed me for the two weeks. I am truly blessed

The Reunion Gang

Fam Bam

Before the makeup classes Davian and I attended a SMITH family reunion in Oregon. I have to say it was one of my favorites. I think the only thing that would have made it better would have been being at a beach in Southern Cali. I loved this trip so much because I was able to spend a lot of times with my brothers and my sister-in-law. We rented a boat a few times and spent plenty of time in the lake. We hiked, ate delicious food, and had a good time with the extended family. I even showed up my brothers being the first one to jump in the lake. I really have such a wonderful family and I am so thankful we have the chance to all get together. There is really nothing better than spending time with family. 

Me & My Daddy

Me & My Brother Adam

Work has been good. I work with some amazingly talent women and have become very close with a few of them. I have always been blessed with such great people in my life and working in the salon here has helped add to that list of wonderful friends. I was able to switch my hours to part-time. I am loving the shorter hours and feel more energetic in the evenings with Davian. The salon is def my escape at times. 

School.... I hate online classes.

Dating. I hate it even more than online classes. Enough said.

Church has been good. I am adjusting into my ward...I know it's been a year but there are so many people (400 members or something) and that was a lot to adjust to. I don't think I will ever know anyone life I did back home in the singles ward or in my home branch. I was able to attend and help with a "get to know you" type activity through the Relief Society. We had a woman from the Family Crisis Center come and talk to us about the wonderful things that they do in the community. I have always wanted to volunteer at a place like that because I have a desire to help woman who are being abused. I think that desire stems from being in an abusive relationship and wanting to show that things on the other side can be so wonderful. There is a training program through the Crisis Center that I would love to be able to attend but I am not sure I can manage it in my schedule. I would love to become an advocate and volunteer but there is a one day a month commitment and I don't think I can do that with Davian. The volunteer day would include being on call for a full 24 hours and during an emergency I would need to be there. I really hope that I can one day do something with the center but maybe not yet. I have even started to think about doing my cluster for school in family relations because I think it might be a good asset for helping with a center. There is just a strong desire there.

Goofy

Here are a few more pics: 

Call me Sleeping Beauty, I feed chickmunks from my hand

Me & Katie Smith

Grandpa Smith & D

Silly

Haha

Snake! He loves them like Uncle Adam does

Salt Lake Temple

Playing with makeup!

Donkey Kong

Holding sweet Kali

At least someone goes on a date with me

That's a turtle

Cheese

Model from work

Gorgeous eyes

PRODUCT!!

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE hair, I LOVE makeup and I LOVE taking care of myself. I don't know where this obsession began because I was kind of a tom boy growing up. I guess that can happen when you have three brothers and no sisters. But the great thing about that is I love sports (especially basketball) and I love to look pretty and take care of myself. For this blog post I have decided to share some of my favorite products that I use often. Here ya go...

***

#1 Bed Head: After-Party. Love it. This is such a great product. It is great for smoothing your hair and providing heat protection, which is very important when you are trying to keep your hair healthy. It smells yummy like all of the Bed Head products. This is just a great simple product that I like to use when I am styling my hair.

#2 Clinque: Perfectly Real Makeup. This is my favorite full coverage foundation. I don't use it all over my face unless I want a more flawless look. It goes on smooth and I seriously only have to buy it every three months because I don't use it all over my face. I usually use it on my problem areas like under my eyes for more coverage. It last all day and doesn't leave my face feeling yucky like some foundations can. I recommend going to Macy's and getting your skin tone matched if you want a great foundation.

#3 TIGI: Rockaholic: Don't feel like washing your hair everyday like me? Then this is for you! This is my favorite dry shampoo. It smells fresh and works great.

*4 Justin Bieber: Someday: Don't judge. I am addicted to the smell of this perfume. It took a while for me to save up for it so I would periodically go to the mall so I could spray this perfume on me. I don't know what it is that I like but it is def one of my favorites. I has a sweeter smell which is just what I like. Check it out, you might be surprised and like it too!

#5 Hempz: Citrus Blossom Lotion: I have been a fan of Hempz products for a long time. I won a huge $500 dollar package of their products at a hair show 5 years ago. After being able to try all their wonderful products I became hooked on their products. Their lotion smells great and it moisturizes amazingly. 

#6 Bare Minerals: Bare Minerals is my main foundation. I can use it for light coverage and a more flawless coverage. It doesn't go on heavy or look powdery and it last for month. The awesome thing about Bare Minerals is that it gives the skin a nice and natural glow. It also has an excellent UVA and UVB protection which is a most. 

#7 Kenra: Volume Spray: This is the best hairspray hands down. I have never had a hairspray that lasted so long and didn't give that crunchy look. It has an all day hold and smells really good. 

#8 Moroccan Oil: Treatment: I AM IN LOVE WITH MOROCCAN OIL. This would be my most favorite hair product right now...and I am hard to convince when a product claims to do all these amazing things but this one does! Moroccan Oil is so great because of the main ingredient, Argan Oil. Argan oil is extracted from kernals of Argan tress that grow in Morocco.  Some of the perks of Moroccan Oil are that it is rich in Vitamin E and fatty acids, and it protects your hair from UV and heat. Already awesome in my book. PLUS, it cuts my blow dry time in half. Which is not only awesome in the morning but when I am drying a clients hair. When you use Moroccan Oil you WILL see smoother, shinier, and softer hair. It keeps your hair so healthy and that is important when you are trying to grow your hair out or just want it to look great. Overall this product is amazing for the hair and though it is on the higher end of cost it is totally worth it! 

#9 Hempz: So Bronze: Here is another great product from Hempz! This is my go to on Sunday morning when I am wearing a dress. It is a great self-tanner that works immediately and gets darker throughout the day. It doesn't have an orange tint, which is a must! I wouldn't say I love it more than my Fake Bake airbrush but it doesn't leave a mess in the bathroom. A great product for you white girls like me that don't tan easy. 

#10 It's A 10: Miracle Leave-In: This is one of my go to products. It is great for detangling your hair and protecting your hair from damage. It does 10 things: Repairs dry/damaged hair, adds shine, detangles, controls frizz, seal/protects hair, prevents split ends, stops hair breakage, creates silkiness, enhances natural body, flat iron/heat protectent. It is pretty much awesome and a great investment. 

So there you have it, some of my favorite products. Hopefully you have learned a little something and might want to try some of my favorite products!

Dating Sites& Good Works

Haha. But seriously.

I have come to find that I really enjoy blogging. It has been an awesome release and I have enjoyed doing it. I am not sure who reads my posts but it really isn't about that. This is for me. 

To start off I want to talk about: LDS dating sites...

Oh, boy! I am sure some of you are thrilled to hear about this one...haha. The reason why I brought this subject up is because I bounce back and forth on this subject. I hope with writing a little about it I can remember why I have always stopped trying the online thing. To be honest I find the online dating scene to be a little freaky. I have attempted to meet guys through dating sites and I have indeed connected with a lot of guys. Sadly, the majority of them have been disappointments. I have no idea why some of the guys are on an LDS dating site but don't really seem like they want to live the LDS standards. It is beyond me. If you choose to put yourself on a dating site that is especially for a specific religion it would only make sense that your values would be aligned with that religion. However, I have found out that this is not the case and luckily these guys are easy to spot and the Spirit has been a great guide to who has good intentions and who doesn't.

However, I have met a handful of guys that I have remained in contact with in one form or another. Some I have gone on dates with and others I have never met. I actually ran into one randomly on campus my first semester down here and that was a crazy! Mostly, I have just gotten to know a few guys that have great qualities but nothing has ever felt 100% right for me to pursue and that is okay. 

I think another reason why I have had a difficult time with dating sites is simply because of what my *Patriarchal Blessings says. Without going into detail it simply talks about how I will meet "my prince (perfect word for who I envision) in doing good works". This has always stuck in my mind. The more I think about it the more I feel like maybe "good works" isn't sifting through profiles on an internet site. 

This has sent me seeking an answer to the question: What are the "good works" that will lead me to my Prince? The place I decided to start looking is on another LDS site... lds.org to be exact. I figured this would be the best place to get an idea of what good works are. 

The first thing that caught my eye was under the *Personal Progress section. I don't know why it didn't cross my mind to look there first but either way I found the perfect resource. While reading through the Personal Progress booklet I felt inspired to complete the values required. Why not, right? So I will work on those and get back to you on what I learn. For now I will just cover what it says about good works. The scripture quoted is 3 Nephi 12:16 it reads:

"Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." 

Service = Good Works. 

This is really best way that I can describe it. Charity is directly linked with doing good works. One of the best ways I can think of doing good works is through temple service. But really everything that is done with the right spirit and for a good purpose can be considered a work that is righteous and good. Therefore, if I am always making sure that I am keeping the Spirit of the Lord with me I can do good works and that is what will lead me to my Eternal Companion. Sounds easy enough, right? ;) I will get right on that...

Lastly, I just want to tell you about a book that I picked up at the bookstore today. I was walking through the bookstore after changing my major (I will need a whole new post for that one, maybe even tomorrow) when I spotted a book titled "Hope After Divorce". Now, lets be clear on this, I usually would NEVER give this book a second glance but for some reason I felt inspired to grab it. Maybe it was the pretty flower on the cover that caught my eye but I decided to give it a try. This book is a collections of essays from women who have found hope through the Atonement of Christ after going through a divorce (or several). I have cried myself through a few essays. Who knew so many women have felt the emotions I have? Normally, I would pick up a book like this because I have such a disconnect with my divorce. It feels so long ago, almost like it was another lifetime. The more I read these essays the more I felt that I had some more to learn from my divorce and the more I felt compelled to start writing my own experiences down. Maybe one day they can be of help to someone else going through a divorce. I think that I will challenge myself to do that. I rarely speak of my divorce to people other than family or close friends because of how personal in nature it is but I think this would be a good way to tell the story of how I got through it...not what lead up to the divorce or the details of it but rather how I have healed, grown and then thrived after such a difficult trial. 

I think that is it. I have given myself some homework to do. First, complete the requirements for Personal Progress virtue "Good Works", and second, work on writing my "divorce survival story". Should be interesting and I will keep you posted, whoever you are! =)

 Ps. Remembered why online dating isn't my thing.

For those that might not know: 

*A Patriarchal Blessing is a special blessing given to worthy members of the Church to be used as a guide in their personal life. Each one is unique and has promises that can be fulfilled by being faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

*A Personal Progress is a booklet that Young Women (12-18) in the Church complete in order to receive their Young Women medallion). This is a great way for young women to learn about select values and find out more about themselves!

How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream?

 It's another sleepless night and I have nothing else to do but blog! Yay, that's two blog posts in one week? I am on a roll...

I just finished re-reading a talk titled "How Can I become the Woman of Whom I Dream?". It was given the beloved President Gordon B. Hinckley. President Hinckley is one of my favorite prophets. Oh, how I miss him. His words are always so powerful and speak right to the soul. I especially loved this message to young women and how we can become our very best. This talk gave me a little pick me up and some things to ponder. I have collected a few quotes from his talk that I feel are really important.

President Hinckley stressed moral cleanliness. More and more it seems like this isn't as important in the world as it should be. Don't people understand the lasting scars from promiscuity? Being virtuous isn't always easy but it certainly always worth it, "for immorality will blight your life and leave a scar that will never entirely leave you". 

"You have within you instincts, powerful and terribly persuasive, urging you at times to let go and experience a little fling. You must not do it. You cannot do it. You are daughters of God with tremendous potential. He has great expectations concerning you, as do others. You cannot let down for a minute. You cannot give in to an impulse. There must be discipline, strong and unbending. Flee from temptation, as Joseph fled from the wiles of Potiphar’s wife." 

If there is something that I have learned from the last 10 years or so of my life it is that sometimes we just have to flee. Temptation is very real and sometimes the best way to avoid it is to run from it. Get as far away from temptation as we possibly can. Sometimes it can be difficult but the Lord is ALWAYS with us and will guide us and tell us where we need to be.

"There is nothing in all this world as magnificent as virtue. It glows without tarnish. It is precious and beautiful. It is above price. It cannot be bought or sold. It is the fruit of self-mastery." 

This was one of my favorite quotes from his talk. Virtue cannot be bought or sold. How true is that? Self-mastery is the key to so many things in our life and being a virtuous woman is something that can bring great blessings.

"In this day and time, a girl needs an education. She needs the means and skills by which to earn a living should she find herself in a situation where it becomes necessary to do so." 

Get an education! I feel very strongly about this. Education is important. You really don't know what situation you might be in when you are the one that has to provide for your family, like being a single mom ;). I remember when I felt the need to go back to school. It is a constant worry to think about being the "bread winner" and all the responsibilities that I carry alone. There is one thing that I have always tried to stay true to and that is doing what I love. A career is important and I believe that doing what you love will make all the difference in your life.

And my most favorite quote from this talk: 

"You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Particularly, pay no attention to what some boy might say to demean you. He is no better than you. In fact, he has already belittled himself by his actions. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities, and forever and always be loyal to the Church." 

Oh, I always need a good reminder not to listen to guys that think they have a right to demean a girl. They are never right, ever. I wish I could make so many young girls understand this. I know I needed to understand it when I was younger.

And lastly, 

 "You are creatures of divinity; you are daughters of the Almighty. Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future, if you will take control of it. Do not let your lives drift in a fruitless and worthless manner."

I am so thankful that I took the time to read this talk again. The message is powerful each time that I read it and it makes me think about the woman that I dream of being. Mostly, I dream of being successful in all that I do. In my church callings and in my career. I dream of being a good mother and teach my children of the importance of the Gospel and the blessings that come when one chooses to be faithful. I dream to one day be a wife, an equal, and a best friend to a loving man who honors his Priesthood. I dream of returning to my Heavenly Father and being able to say that I remained faithful. I have so many dreams and I know that they can be achieved with the help of my Heavenly Father and the strength that comes when we believe and choose to pattern our life after his son, Jesus Christ. I hope that each of us can live up to our potential. Especially, as women. We have a divine calling here on this earth. May we always be a positive influence on the world and especially in our own homes. 

Here is a link to the talk: 

http://www.lds.org/ensign/2001/05/how-can-i-become-the-woman-of-whom-i-dream 

Labels&Updates

"Hey girl" is hilarious. This is for the moms

Here I am at 1am in the morning writing because I simply cannot sleep. There has been a lot on my mind and I really haven't blogged in a while. There is a lot I want to say but mostly I want to start out by writing about labels. Labels can drive me crazy...I don't think that you can or should define a person by a single phrase or word. One that I hear all the time about myself is "single mom". I have even included it on my blog. I have simply become used to being called a "single mom" and that is fine, I am indeed a mom that is single. But that really doesn't define who I am. I am so many other things. I am a hair stylist, a daughter, a best friend, a creator, an artist, a child of God, a woman, a giver, a homemaker, and much much more. I am many things. I guess it just simply gets to me when it comes to "the guy situation". And oh how I love this topic, not. Dating as a "single mother" is so difficult. It is even down right unpleasant at times but it is something that I have to do in order to find my Eternal Companion. If only God would just hit him on the head with a rock (maybe just a stick a rock might do some damage) and send him in my direction because clearly my Prince Charming has gotten a little lost. I have heard countless times that a guy has lost interest simply because of my "situation" and I can understand that to a degree. I mean come on I am not looking for an average Joe. I am looking for someone who can jump right into helping me take care of the most precious little boy (the very thought of that brings my eyes to tears). I am looking for someone who is extraordinary and understands what it takes to step in and help someone raise their greatest gift from Heavenly Father. Someone who can love Davian as their own and be a supporter, a friend, a comforter, an equal and much more to me. This is not an easy task and I understand that...but I just hope that out there are the guys who don't look at that label of "single mom" as a bad thing. Being a single mom has made me who I am today. I am strong because of this responsibility. I am who I am today because of the trials and blessings that come with raising a child without that constant support of a companion. I am single mom and I am proud of that. This is what the Lord had planned for me and I know some where down this road I will be able to be a comfort to another single mom who is struggling or feeling like there isn't anybody who quite understands how this loneliness feels. I know God doesn't give us more than we can handle, I might question that more than most on a rough day, but deep down I know how true that is. I am surviving and I dare say that I am doing well. I have so many blessings in my life right now and I know that my Heavenly Father has a special plan out there for me. He LOVES me. He is ALWAYS there for me to go to during this difficult time in my life. And that I can truly be thankful. I am thankful for the blessing of being a "single mom". I used to hate being called a "single mom" but it has become a badge that I wear with honor, as long as people realize that I am not just that but so much more.

That was a good little rant if I do say so myself. Now, it is time for some updates!

We like to go on dates =)

Davian: Davian is such a good boy. He has really tried hard to do the things that I ask and I am thankful that some of what I am teaching is sticking! We have been talking about how to be a gentlemen and how we are suppose to treat other people, especially girls. I WILL raise a man that knows how to treat a woman with respect. That has really become one of my main missions... haha. So, Davian is now opening my door. It may seem a little interesting to have a 4 years old be opening his mom's door but we are starting young! We are teaching this boy how to be a good man. He is so darn cute when he opens my door. It has really become a treat. Another thing we talk about is how every girl is pretty. He has even started letting the ladies know that they are pretty. Mostly, he tells me every single day that I am "pretty" and his "most favorite girl in the whole wide world universe" (pretty amazing, I know). This little guy just knows how to light up my day and melt my heart.

Dad&Davian

Davian has been doing well in school. We have some hiccups upon occasion. I think this comes especially from being an only child that doesn't have to share his stuff. He has been learning how to do this better and we haven't gotten any bad reports from school lately. He does have some AMAZING teachers though and that brings me comfort as I drop him of each day.

Davian's dad was able to visit this last weekend. It was pretty special for Davian. It had been about a year since his last visit and Davian was so happy to see his dad. He wanted dad to do everything with him. He wanted Dad to sit by him, talk to him, love him, play with him, and listen to him. I am thankful that the visit went well and Davian was able to make some memories with is dad!

Tami's Salon

Celebrating my new job at Wingers

Me: Well, what can I say? I have been a busy lady lately. I started a new job about two months ago and it has been great to be working in a salon again. I work at a salon in Rexburg named Tami's Salon. Tami Hymas is the owner and she is an amazing hair stylist herself. She is a platform artist for Onesta, which is really one of the highest honors as a hairstylist. In fact, being a platform artist is kind of the dream of a lot of hair stylist. If you don't know what a plat form artist is I will explain it for you! A Platform Artist is a Hairstylist who works primarily for trade shows and industry related shows. Basically those people who do seminars, or are up on the "platform" (hence why they're called that) teaching new tricks of the trade. I am so thankful to be working at this salon and from what I hear it is really the best fit for me in Rexburg! The thing I love the most is the atmosphere. Typically when you get a ton of girls working together there can be a lot of drama! This really isn't the case at Tami's. The girls that I work with are all wonderful and have really helped me feel at home in the salon. I was so nervous from going from Bridge Street where it was just me and Karmin (who is basically a sister and mentor to me) to a larger group of girls. I think what helps this salon be drama free is that we are all faithful members of the Church and we have good standards. We do our best to be our best. I have really loved that. I have always enjoyed our weekly education. Every Tuesday we have a required education class for an hour. This is great! I crave to learn new things and while some of the education is familiar I always have a new insight on even the most basic things. I think that education is a big key on being successful and growing and I have the opportunity to do that at Tami's. I don't know how long I will be in Rexburg or at the salon but I have no intentions on leaving anytime soon =)

Emma Roth my beautiful model

School: I am "off track" this semester at BYUI. For those of you who don't know, BYUI runs on a three track system. You are assigned two tracks out of the three and my track is the Fall/Winter. I will have had a total of five months off, which is great! I have decided to pursue my AA degree and not go any further at this point. I am sure my parents are sick of hearing the millions of plans I have in my head on any given day... I just feel like this is the best option for be and I have really learned that I love doing hair. I missed it when I was away for that short time and it really makes me feel good. In fact, I have found a new passion of mine: Makeup. I have always loved trying new makeup on myself and exploring different tricks of application. I since found the desire to become more of a makeup artist and do bridal or photo shoot makeup! This all started when that salon did a photo shoot (which we do nearly every month). The theme was Avant Garde which is basically doing something out of the box, unorthodox, daring or radical. I choose to do a doll theme and had so much fun putting it all together and seeing my ideas come to life. I had an amazing model, Emma Roth, to help me out and she did AMAZING! Since I have discovered this passion I have decided that I want more education in the makeup industry. I hope to attend a makeup artist program through Avalon (http://www.avalon.edu/makeup-artistry/) in Layton, Utah for two weeks. Here I can expand my knowledge and grow as a makeup artist. Not to mention it is a MAC school. And for anyone who knows makeup they know that MAC is the leader of professional makeup. This would be an awesome opportunity. I simply need to save so I can attend =) So, there you go... My next adventure in my crazy life! 

At one of my dates

Dating: Okay, I don't think I have really ever talked much about dating but why not? I know so many of you are rooting for me and want me to end up happy so I might as well let you know how it is going. Obviously, it's not going that great because I don't have a boyfriend but oh well! I have had a lot more dates lately though. It has been great. I am doing what I have been wanting to do and should have done when I was younger... I am testing the waters. I am seeing what is out there. Sometimes it can be really discouraging but mostly it is fun to get out and do something for a few hours! I have been out to dinner, played games, hit golf balls, bowling, and shooting within the last few months and I have really enjoyed and learned more about myself and what I want. Mostly, I have gotten the experience that I have been practically begging Heavenly Father to give me! 

Cut my hair earlier this summer 

Well, I think that pretty much sums it up! Hopefully, I can be more diligent with my blogging but lets be honest, I doubt that will happen ;) 

Oh btw, there was a really great talk that was written just for me last Conference. It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear and something that I read often to bring comfort. Here is the link if you want to check it out: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/faith-fortitude-fulfillment-a-message-to-single-parents?lang=eng&query=single+mom